Status: Done and about to be submitted. Let me know if there are any pressing concerns, though all of them that I've seen have been discussed already.
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/rhyperior
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Aqua Tail
move 4: Megahorn / Fire Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rhyperior has one of the highest Attack stats in the game combined with two extremely useful STABs. Not many things will enjoy taking an Earthquake or Stone Edge from 624 Attack. The attacking combination of Ground and Rock is only resisted by a handful of Pokémon in OU, including Bronzong, Breloom, and Flygon. The remaining two slots are used to deal with these Pokémon. Aqua Tail deals a minimum of 59% damage to 252 HP / 252 Def Impish Hippowdon, a guaranteed 2HKO even when factoring in Leftovers recovery. Megahorn is Rhyperior's best option against enemy Celebi, easily OHKOing even the most defensive variants. Fire Punch allows Rhyperior to net a guaranteed 2HKO against 252 HP / 80 Def Sassy Bronzong.</p>
<p>Maximum Attack EVs are a given on a Pokémon with such an astoundingly high Attack stat. 252 Spe EVs allow Rhyperior to reach a stat of 177, just outspeeding Skarmory that sit at a stat of 176. Rhyperior is now able to 2HKO Skarmory with a Stone Edge before it has the chance to shed its Flying-type with Roost. As an alternative, Rhyperior can run 192 HP / 100 Atk / 156 SpD / 60 Spd in order to always survive 236 SpA Grass Knot from Celebi and 405 Attack Meteor Mash from Metagross. It is recommended that you run both Megahorn and Fire Punch when using this defensive spread.</p>
<p>When employing this set, it is integral that you possess a response to Dragon Dance variants of Gyarados and Salamence, as both will enjoy setting up on Megahorns and Earthquake. A Choice Scarfed Gengar is an excellent option for this role, and it is also immune to the Ground- and Fighting-type attacks aimed at Rhyperior. Therefore, it can also deal with Flygon if it comes in on an Earthquake or a U-turn. If using a Gengar, you should have a plan to deal with Scizor. A Lucario can set up on a Pursuit aimed at Gengar and take advantage of Rhyperior's ability to pound through Hippowdon with Aqua Tail. A Gyarados or Zapdos can handle anything that Scizor possesses, but should watch out for repeated U-turns.</p>
<p>A Rotom-A also handles Gyarados, as well as Scizor. If you choose to go this route, you will need a plan to deal with Dragon Dance Salamence. A Swords Dance Scizor can deal with a weakened Salamence in a pinch, and it can take advantage of the holes that Rhyperior can put in a stall team.</p>
<p>Bulky Water-types such as Swampert and Suicune will give you problems, taking your attacks and striking back with a Surf to OHKO unless you use a defensive EV spread (though Swampert cannot OHKO with Waterfall regardless). A good option to deal with this is an offensively oriented Celebi, such as a Tinkerbell or Swords Dance set. Breloom is another solid option, but you should watch for Ice Beams, as Breloom lacks the Special Defense that Celebi possesses.</p>
<p>Celebi itself gives you trouble if it comes in on anything but a predicted Megahorn or a Stone Edge with prior damage. Tyranitar is a good option to deal with Celebi, and it also sets up the sandstorm that Rhyperior thrives in. Bronzong is annoying, but isn't doing much to you with Gyro Ball, and it dislikes taking Megahorns or boosted Stone Edges. Breloom is another potent threat to Rhyperior, but Gyarados handles it fairly easily provided you have something to take the sleep.</p>
<p>Choice Band Scizor, Choice Scarf Jirachi, and Latias are also potent threats that can force out this set. Magnezone support is an option for dealing with the first two. Fortunately, Tyranitar easily counters Latias, so it is not a concern.</p>
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Megahorn / Aqua Tail / Substitute
item: Life Orb
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rock Polish solves the problem of Rhyperior's abysmal Speed. With max Attack and Life Orb, Rhyperior will be firing off attacks with an Attack stat of roughly 492. Earthquake and Stone Edge give the set the basis of its coverage, while the fourth moveslot is used to cover specific threats. Aqua Tail seriously dents Claydol and Hippowdon while Megahorn quickly disposes of Celebi. Substitute can be used in tandem with Rock Polish in order to protect Rhyperior from status and aid in getting a boost off successfully. On this set, Fire Punch lacks the raw power to successfully deal with Bronzong, so Fire Punch is not used.</p>
<p>With a Jolly nature and 252 Speed EVs, Rhyperior reaches a Speed stat of 196. Therefore, Rhyperior's Speed stat is 392 after a single Rock Polish. An Adamant nature can be used, but Rhyperior will outspeed Gengar at most, losing to Starmie, an opponent that is relatively vital to outspeed.</p>
<p>This set can handle Celebi and (barring a miss on Stone Edge) Salamence, but still dislikes dealing with Swampert, Suicune, Gyarados, Flygon, and Breloom. Therefore, the recommended partners of this set generally mirror the partners of the previous set. One concern, however, is that unlike the Choice Bander, this set doesn't have the raw power necessary to defeat Hippowdon and Skarmory. Therefore, it is a good practice to employ a sweeper or a lure capable of breaking through a stall team. A Choice Specs Lucario can lure in such physical walls and overwhelm them on the special side. A Gyarados is another potent threat to a stall team, though the Rotom forms are a concern. A Tyranitar also works well here, setting up a sandstorm and either luring in Hippowdon and Skarmory and defeating them on the special side or blasting through them with Choice Banded Aqua Tails and Stone Edges.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dancer
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Megahorn / Fire Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A Pokémon such as Rhyperior is an excellent candidate for Swords Dance. Being aided by its somewhat impressive defensive capabilities, its massive Attack stat, and very powerful STAB attacks make Rhyperior perfect for this type of set, if it wasn't for his Speed. Thankfully max Speed is adequate to outpace most Skarmory, so using Stone Edge will be of little concern for Rhyperior. Speaking of Stone Edge, following a Swords Dance it OHKOes Gliscor if Rhyperior is using an Adamant nature; a true feat for this set. Earthquake deals massive damage even to Hippowdon, doing roughly 85% damage on average. Megahorn is an excellent choice because it 2HKOes Bronzong. Fire Punch is capable of beating down Bronzong; however, that will be the only time it will be useful.</p>
<p>This set works best with Pokémon that can Baton Pass Speed to it or when surrounded by paralysis support. Zapdos is one of the best Agility Passing Pokémon to combine with Rhyperior, as the only real problem is Ice attacks, and quite a few of them are physical anyway. This set also functions equally well under Trick Room conditions by reversing Speed and allowing Rhyperior to attack first the majority of the time. If Rhyperior opts to use Fire Punch, it can lower its speed to 164 EVs, just outspeeding Swampert. The remaining EVs can be invested in HP.</p>
<p>This set can deal with Salamence, Flygon, Hippowdon, Swampert, and Skarmory, but it cannot defeat any of the other nemeses of the prior sets. As such, you should employ similar partners as for the previous sets. However, paralysis and sandstorm support are a necessity for this set because it remains abysmally slow and it needs to remain on the field in order to sweep. Using Tyranitar is a given, as Hippowdon doesn't have enough of an offensive presence. A good option for paralysis support is Celebi, who can also counter Gyarados. Jirachi is another good option for this role, as the Wish support can help Rhyperior set up. However, this will further your weakness to Earthquake. Scizor is useful here for the purpose of dispatching Celebi, who ordinarily gives this set a fair bit of trouble, but some Celebis employ Hidden Power Fire to deal with this threat.</p>
[SET]
name: Su(b)perior
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Swords Dance / Megahorn
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 132 HP / 192 Atk / 16 SpD / 168 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rhyperior's ability to conjure 101 HP Substitutes, the ability Solid Rock cutting super effective moves to x1.5 damage instead of x2, and the x1.5 boost to his Special Defense thanks to the presence of sandstorm make this Rhyperior a potent threat when played correctly. Substitute is the key move on this set. With the given EVs, Blissey is not able to break Rhyperior's 101 Substitutes with Seismic Toss. Cresselia also suffers this same scenario, provided she didn't get a Special Attack boost from Charge Beam or has Psychic in her move pool to obtain an Special. After the Substitute is set up, Rhyperior can act accordingly by either boosting its 400 Attack stat to an impressive 800 with Swords Dance or simply using its powerful STABs to attack.</p>
<p>The Speed EVs outpace Swampert, Porygon2, and Machamp provided they don't invest heavily in Speed. Don't worry about being walled by Bronzong because Gyro Ball is doing pitiful damage and after a couple of Swords Dances even Bronzong won't enjoy a boosted Stone Edge. If Celebi and other bulky Psychic-types become a problem, Megahorn fits nicely over Swords Dance.</p>
<p>Sand Stream support is an absolute requirement for this set as well, as Rhyperior needs it to turn 2HKOs from Heatran's Earth Power and Zapdos' Hidden Power Ice into 3HKOs and also to stop Blissey and Cresselia from breaking the Substitute with a super effective attack. But due to the more defensive approach of this set, Hippowdon is a good option for providing it, as well as Tyranitar. If you are using Megahorn, you don't need to worry about Celebi. If you are using Swords Dance, Swampert is not a concern, as it is outsped and OHKOed by Earthquake after a Swords Dance.</p>
<p>Choose your partners accordingly, noting that it is not optimal to choose offensive options such as Gengar if you decide to use Hippowdon for weather support. This is because Gengar is a highly offensive choice, and it works better when your team can apply offensive pressure to the opponent. Tyranitar excels at this with its powerful physical and special attacking stats (as well as its ability to lure in Scizor). Hippowdon applies little offensive pressure with its comparatively weaker Attack, nonexistent Special Attack, and shallow movepool.</p>
<p>Paralysis is a bonus for this set, and Celebi and Jirachi work well at spreading it around. You will need Swords Dance to have a chance at beating opposing Skarmory and Hippowdon. If you don't use it, then you will need to employ sweepers capable of breaking through a common stall team, such as Lucario and Tyranitar. Salamence is another option, but it despises Sand Stream.</p>
[SET]
name: Supporting Tank
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Megahorn / Avalanche
move 4: Stealth Rock / Roar
item: Leftovers
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Impish
evs: 244 HP / 184 Def / 80 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The idea is pretty simple—switch into physical attackers with Rhyperior's amazing defenses and strike back with 316 Attack and great STAB moves. Megahorn provides coverage against Grass-types and makes a big dent in Cresselia and Celebi, while Avalanche hits Gliscor hard and can also bring down a Dragon Dancing Salamence or Dragonite, if you don't want to rely on Stone Edge's shaky accuracy. Stealth Rock is always useful due to its ability to shave off a portion of any opponent's HP. Roar helps phaze Dragon Dancing Salamence and other possible threats.</p>
<p>With 244 HP and 80 SpD EVs in a sandstorm, Timid Heatran's Earth Power will never 2HKO Rhyperior. With an HP stat of 432, Rhyperior also receives an extra point of Leftovers recovery. The remaining EVs are placed into Defense.</p>
<p>This set does little to bulky special attackers such as Suicune and Vaporeon, who directly threaten it. A Kingdra laughs at most attacks that these Pokemon possess, and can set up Dragon Dances on them. A Salamence or Gyarados can do the same, but they can be struck down by Ice Beam or Hidden Power Electric, respectively. Other than that, Tyranitar is an excellent partner to this set to help deal with Latias and Celebi.</p>
<p>Without the power of a Choice Band or a Life Orb boosting your Attack, you deal little damage to Bronzong, who laughs at your attacks. A Rotom forme can deal with Bronzong and Gyarados. Alternatively, Heatran and Infernape can defeat Bronzong, though you are increasing your weakness to Ground-type attacks by using them in conjunction with Rhyperior. Finally, Breloom is a problem for this set, although a Gyarados or a bulky Salamence goes a long way towards dealing with it.</p>
[SET]
name: Sleep Talk Support
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Leftovers
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Impish
evs: 244 HP / 184 Def / 80 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is similar to the above set, but Rhyperior now has recovery in the form of Rest and Sleep Talk. Rest allows Rhyperior to snooze away any damage it has taken during the course of the battle while removing any hindering status effects. Sleep Talk allows Rhyperior to continue attacking even while asleep. However, Rhyperior is not the most effective absorber of sleep, due to the opponents who commonly use the status, such as Gengar, Breloom, and Roserade. The specifications of the EVs are mentioned in the above set's comments.</p>
<p>Generally, this set should be paired with the partners of the above set. However, you will need a way to set up Stealth Rock, as this set sacrifices that ability in exchange for recovery. Swampert is not recommended, as having 2 Pokemon 4x weak to Grass-type attacks is inadvisable. Metagross, Jirachi, and Bronzong are superior candidates for that task. This is a set that you employ to defeat specific threats such as Heatran and physically based Salamence, not a set that you build a team around.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Stealth Rock is a necessity for Rhyperior to give it crucial 2HKOs and OHKOs on many threats. Sandstorm is also necessary to avoid 2HKOs and OHKOs from Heatran, Suicune, Celebi, and Vaporeon, among others. Paralysis support is almost a requirement for the Swords Dancer and Su(b)perior sets, but the other sets don't need it as much, as they either boost their speed (Rock Polish), are hit-and-run attackers (Choice Band), or are defensively oriented (Supporting Tank and Sleep Talk Support). Toxic Spikes is an option on Su(b)perior if you have no other way of defeating Hippowdon, but it is only useful for Hippowdon, and it may interfere with paralysis, which is the desired status condition. Spikes are generally better. If 3 layers of Spikes and Stealth Rock are up, a Su(b)perior has a good chance to OHKO a 252 HP / 252 Def, Bold Suicune with a +2 Earthquake (58.91% - 69.80%), and it can survive a Surf given that there is a sandstorm. Spikes also help when dealing with Swampert and Celebi when you lack the power afforded by a Life Orb.</p>
<p>Rhyperior is a formidable offensive force, possessing coveted STABs on Stone Edge and Earthquake. Therefore, offensive sets, using Stone Edge and Aqua Tail, will need little help to break through a stall team. What are of greater concern are Pokemon that can use their resistances and immunities to enter on Rhyperior's attacks and threaten it. These include Breloom, Flygon, Bronzong, Gyarados, Salamence, Latias, and Celebi. Tyranitar can defeat Latias and Celebi, and it sets up the sandstorm that Rhyperior enjoys. Gyarados deals with Bronzong, Breloom, and Flygon fairly easily, and pairs well with Rhyperior in terms of typing. A Choice Scarfed Gengar can deal with Gyarados and Salamence. Alternatively, one can use a Rotom forme for Gyarados and Bronzong and employ a Scizor to deal with Salamence.</p>
<p>Defensively speaking, to call Rhyperior's typing garbage would be an insult to debris. Rock / Ground gives few useful resistances, and many weaknesses on the special side. Rhyperior finds it difficult to abuse its high physical Defense as well, being weak to Fighting, Ground, and Steel-type attacks. Gyarados can take the Fighting, Ground-, Steel-, and Water-type attacks that threaten Rhyperior, and Rhyperior can take the Rock and Electric-type attacks that are the bane of Gyarados. Gengar and Rotom-A can take Fighting and Ground-type attacks that are aimed at Rhyperior. Almost no other Pokemon pairs well enough with Rhyperior in terms of typing to be worth a mention, but Tyranitar, with its high Special Defense, can take the Ice-type attacks that give Rhyperior trouble.</p>
<p>Overall, Rhyperior tends to have the most trouble with Scizor, Gyarados, Breloom, Flygon, Latias, and Hippowdon. A substantial problem is that Rhyperior can do little to check many of the teammates of these Pokemon, so you will have to choose your team carefully when using Rhyperior. Scizor tends to be partnered most frequently by Salamence, Heatran, and Latias. Most Rhyperior sets can deal with the former two, so you will only need to employ a Latias check. Tyranitar works great in this capacity, and he also sets up a sandstorm that you can abuse. Gyarados tends to be seen alongside Scizor, Metagross and Salamence. Rotom-A can check Scizor and Metagross, along with providing insurance against a Dragon Danced Gyarados. Breloom tends to be partnered by Scizor, Heatran, and Gyarados, so Rotom-A is recommended here as well. Flygon is often used with the same partners as Breloom, so Rotom-A works well here too. Latias is often partnered by Scizor, Heatran, and Metagross, and Rotom-A is an excellent counter to Metagross and Scizor, while Tyranitar deals with Latias. Hippowdon, on the other hand, breaks the mold, as it is a stall-oriented Pokemon. Blissey, Skarmory, and Forretress are commonly seen alongside it. Fortunately, most Rhyperior sets have no problem dealing with such Pokemon due to the base 140 Attack.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Rock Blast can be used to break Substitutes and destroys any Ninjask that dare to try and set up on Rhyperior. Rock Slide can be used over Stone Edge if the low PP and accuracy concern you, although the flinch rate is of no real consequence on anything but the Rock Polish set. Focus Punch isn't generally much use due to a STAB Earthquake or Stone Edge having the same power and Fire Punch being just as powerful against Bronzong. Toxic works decently on the more defensive sets if bulky Water-types such as Vaporeon prove to be a large problem. Counter can be used to launch back things such as Flygon's Earthquake and unboosted Gyarados' Waterfall. Endeavor can work on the Rock Polish set if you are low on health. The only thing to say about Rhyperior's signature attack, Rock Wrecker, is that is shouldn't be used.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Despite the apparently obvious base stat bias towards Rhyperior's Defense, Sand Stream and some investment into Special Defense can make Rhyperior a formidable tank if you choose to take that route. With 244 HP / 184 Def / 80 SpD, Rhyperior is never 2HKOed by Timid Heatran Earth Power, meaning Rhyperior can switch in and OHKO with Earthquake. A Rhyperior with some EVs invested in SpD in a sandstorm can even handle potent special-based threats like Togekiss, Yanmega, and Gengar.</p>
<p>Rhyperior's great Defense lets it serve as a physical tank very well, and its EV spread should reflect this. Its monstrous 115 base HP and 130 base Defense combined with its damage reducing trait, Solid Rock, give Rhyperior extremely uncommon bulk which tends to be underrated. Even though it sports weaknesses to both Close Combat and Earthquake, physically defensive Rhyperior can usually take these assaults and live long enough to get that crucial KO. 244 HP EVs are recommended because they allow Rhyperior to reach a number that yields an extra point of Leftovers recovery. Sandstorm boosts Rhyperior's lackluster Special Defense to decent levels, so EVs can always be pumped into Special Defense to take advantage of this fact. With sandstorm support and a spread of 252 HP / 12 Atk / 16 Def / 230 SpD and an Adamant nature, Rhyperior attains incredible defenses of 434 HP / 300 Def / 304 SpD, with an amazing 350 Atk stat to back it up. With this spread, Rhyperior is even capable of taking Starmie Surfs.</p>
<p>The Choice Band set utilizes maximum Attack in order to achieve the highest damage potential. Max Speed with an Adamant nature allows Rhyperior to outspeed Skarmory. After maxing Attack, the remaining 4 EVs are placed into Rhyperior's lower defensive stat, Special Defense. A bulkier spread, as seen in the Substitute / Swords Dance set, can be utilized in order to give Rhyperior some bulk while taking advantage of sandstorm. The 128 Speed EVs allow Rhyperior to outspeed Blissey and Machamp that do not invest EVs in Speed.</p>
<p>Maximum Attack and Speed, along with a Jolly nature, are used on the Rock Polish set in order to outspeed the largest possible number of enemies after a single Rock Polish while still retaining the ability to hit hard. The remaining 4 EVs are placed into Special Defense in order to minimize the effects of Hail and Stealth Rock. The Swords Dance set uses the same principle, but with an Adamant nature to make the most out of Rhyperior's gigantic Attack stat. Adamant can be used, but Rhyperior will only reach a stat of 358 after a single Rock Polish.</p>
<p>The EVs of the Subsitute + Swords Dance set focus on the ability of Rhyperior's Substitute to take a minimum Special Attack Blissey's Ice Beam in sandstorm without breaking. The Speed EVs allow Rhyperior to outspeed said Blissey, as well as Swampert.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Rhyperior can use max SpD and a Careful nature to more effectively take special hits in the sand. This also allows Rhyperior to survive unboosted Starmie's Surf and unboosted Celebi's Grass Knot.
Rhyperior's biggest problem is the competition it faces for a team slot. Although it possesses greater defensive stats than any of its fellow Ground-types, its lack of instant recovery is a let down, something Gliscor and Hippowdon both have access to. Swampert's offensive and defensive stats seem poor compared to Rhyperior, but the mudfish has superior defensive typing and can use special attacks effectively.</p>
<p>When considering Rhyperior for a slot as an offensive Pokémon, its low Speed means it requires support to effectively use Swords Dance to sweep with. Metagross provides stiff competition for the Rock Polish variants because it is able to reach much higher speeds and employ Explosion if necessary to get a team member in for free.</p>
<p>However, this does not take away from the fact that Rhyperior is a very powerful Pokémon. 434 HP and 394 Defense are very hard to break when paired with Solid Rock and the potential for a free Special Defense buff from a sandstorm. Rhyperior is not to be underestimated and is a good choice on most teams if you can play to its strengths.</p>
<p>In short, using Rhyperior is akin to making a pact with the devil: you gain incredible amounts of physical power. This can let you 2HKO anything in the metagame with a Choice Band, and the potential to boost your offensive prowess further with Swords Dance or Rock Polish is tempting. However, you should be ready to pay the price in accruing a painful weakness to the ever-so-common Scizor, Gyarados, and Latias. Rhyperior is not the kind of pokemon you can simply throw on a team and expect to succeed. It needs a good deal of support to truly shine.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Barring boosted Megahorns and Focus Punches, Bronzong can shake off pretty much anything Rhyperior can throw its way and hit back with Grass Knot. Skarmory can't hurt Rhyperior, but can stall Rhyperior out—especially the Choice Band set—provided it is faster by wasting Stone Edge's PP with Roost and simply Whirlwinding Rhyperior away.</p>
<p>Swampert handles Rhyperior decently and can bring him down with STAB Water attacks. Surf or Hydro Pump are more effective than Waterfall because they hit the weaker of Rhyperior's defensive stats. Suicune also fares well if it can avoid a critical hit from Stone Edge.</p>
<p>Hippowdon can wear Rhyperior down by alternating between Earthquake and Slack Off. Beware of Choice Banded or Swords Danced Avalanches or Aqua Tails though.</p>
<p>If you can get them in on either of Rhyperior's STAB moves, Breloom and Torterra handle Rhyperior well. Both can fire off Seed Bomb, while the latter can also use the more powerful Wood Hammer. Flygon can also work somewhat, although like the previously mentioned Grass-types, be sure to avoid Ice attacks and repeated hits from Megahorn. Defensive Celebi also works well as a counter; however, it must avoid a predicted Megahorn. STAB Grass Knot, with 120 base power due to Rhyperior's girth, will OHKO the rocky beast as long as Rhyperior does not invest heavily in Special Defense and a sandstorm is not raging.</p>
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/rhyperior[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Aqua Tail
move 4: Megahorn / Fire Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rhyperior has one of the highest Attack stats in the game combined with two extremely useful STABs. Not many things will enjoy taking an Earthquake or Stone Edge from 624 Attack. The attacking combination of Ground and Rock is only resisted by a handful of Pokémon in OU, including Bronzong, Breloom, and Flygon. The remaining two slots are used to deal with these Pokémon. Aqua Tail deals a minimum of 59% damage to 252 HP / 252 Def Impish Hippowdon, a guaranteed 2HKO even when factoring in Leftovers recovery. Megahorn is Rhyperior's best option against enemy Celebi, easily OHKOing even the most defensive variants. Fire Punch allows Rhyperior to net a guaranteed 2HKO against 252 HP / 80 Def Sassy Bronzong.</p>
<p>Maximum Attack EVs are a given on a Pokémon with such an astoundingly high Attack stat. 252 Spe EVs allow Rhyperior to reach a stat of 177, just outspeeding Skarmory that sit at a stat of 176. Rhyperior is now able to 2HKO Skarmory with a Stone Edge before it has the chance to shed its Flying-type with Roost. As an alternative, Rhyperior can run 192 HP / 100 Atk / 156 SpD / 60 Spd in order to always survive 236 SpA Grass Knot from Celebi and 405 Attack Meteor Mash from Metagross. It is recommended that you run both Megahorn and Fire Punch when using this defensive spread.</p>
<p>When employing this set, it is integral that you possess a response to Dragon Dance variants of Gyarados and Salamence, as both will enjoy setting up on Megahorns and Earthquake. A Choice Scarfed Gengar is an excellent option for this role, and it is also immune to the Ground- and Fighting-type attacks aimed at Rhyperior. Therefore, it can also deal with Flygon if it comes in on an Earthquake or a U-turn. If using a Gengar, you should have a plan to deal with Scizor. A Lucario can set up on a Pursuit aimed at Gengar and take advantage of Rhyperior's ability to pound through Hippowdon with Aqua Tail. A Gyarados or Zapdos can handle anything that Scizor possesses, but should watch out for repeated U-turns.</p>
<p>A Rotom-A also handles Gyarados, as well as Scizor. If you choose to go this route, you will need a plan to deal with Dragon Dance Salamence. A Swords Dance Scizor can deal with a weakened Salamence in a pinch, and it can take advantage of the holes that Rhyperior can put in a stall team.</p>
<p>Bulky Water-types such as Swampert and Suicune will give you problems, taking your attacks and striking back with a Surf to OHKO unless you use a defensive EV spread (though Swampert cannot OHKO with Waterfall regardless). A good option to deal with this is an offensively oriented Celebi, such as a Tinkerbell or Swords Dance set. Breloom is another solid option, but you should watch for Ice Beams, as Breloom lacks the Special Defense that Celebi possesses.</p>
<p>Celebi itself gives you trouble if it comes in on anything but a predicted Megahorn or a Stone Edge with prior damage. Tyranitar is a good option to deal with Celebi, and it also sets up the sandstorm that Rhyperior thrives in. Bronzong is annoying, but isn't doing much to you with Gyro Ball, and it dislikes taking Megahorns or boosted Stone Edges. Breloom is another potent threat to Rhyperior, but Gyarados handles it fairly easily provided you have something to take the sleep.</p>
<p>Choice Band Scizor, Choice Scarf Jirachi, and Latias are also potent threats that can force out this set. Magnezone support is an option for dealing with the first two. Fortunately, Tyranitar easily counters Latias, so it is not a concern.</p>
[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Megahorn / Aqua Tail / Substitute
item: Life Orb
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rock Polish solves the problem of Rhyperior's abysmal Speed. With max Attack and Life Orb, Rhyperior will be firing off attacks with an Attack stat of roughly 492. Earthquake and Stone Edge give the set the basis of its coverage, while the fourth moveslot is used to cover specific threats. Aqua Tail seriously dents Claydol and Hippowdon while Megahorn quickly disposes of Celebi. Substitute can be used in tandem with Rock Polish in order to protect Rhyperior from status and aid in getting a boost off successfully. On this set, Fire Punch lacks the raw power to successfully deal with Bronzong, so Fire Punch is not used.</p>
<p>With a Jolly nature and 252 Speed EVs, Rhyperior reaches a Speed stat of 196. Therefore, Rhyperior's Speed stat is 392 after a single Rock Polish. An Adamant nature can be used, but Rhyperior will outspeed Gengar at most, losing to Starmie, an opponent that is relatively vital to outspeed.</p>
<p>This set can handle Celebi and (barring a miss on Stone Edge) Salamence, but still dislikes dealing with Swampert, Suicune, Gyarados, Flygon, and Breloom. Therefore, the recommended partners of this set generally mirror the partners of the previous set. One concern, however, is that unlike the Choice Bander, this set doesn't have the raw power necessary to defeat Hippowdon and Skarmory. Therefore, it is a good practice to employ a sweeper or a lure capable of breaking through a stall team. A Choice Specs Lucario can lure in such physical walls and overwhelm them on the special side. A Gyarados is another potent threat to a stall team, though the Rotom forms are a concern. A Tyranitar also works well here, setting up a sandstorm and either luring in Hippowdon and Skarmory and defeating them on the special side or blasting through them with Choice Banded Aqua Tails and Stone Edges.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dancer
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Megahorn / Fire Punch
item: Life Orb
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A Pokémon such as Rhyperior is an excellent candidate for Swords Dance. Being aided by its somewhat impressive defensive capabilities, its massive Attack stat, and very powerful STAB attacks make Rhyperior perfect for this type of set, if it wasn't for his Speed. Thankfully max Speed is adequate to outpace most Skarmory, so using Stone Edge will be of little concern for Rhyperior. Speaking of Stone Edge, following a Swords Dance it OHKOes Gliscor if Rhyperior is using an Adamant nature; a true feat for this set. Earthquake deals massive damage even to Hippowdon, doing roughly 85% damage on average. Megahorn is an excellent choice because it 2HKOes Bronzong. Fire Punch is capable of beating down Bronzong; however, that will be the only time it will be useful.</p>
<p>This set works best with Pokémon that can Baton Pass Speed to it or when surrounded by paralysis support. Zapdos is one of the best Agility Passing Pokémon to combine with Rhyperior, as the only real problem is Ice attacks, and quite a few of them are physical anyway. This set also functions equally well under Trick Room conditions by reversing Speed and allowing Rhyperior to attack first the majority of the time. If Rhyperior opts to use Fire Punch, it can lower its speed to 164 EVs, just outspeeding Swampert. The remaining EVs can be invested in HP.</p>
<p>This set can deal with Salamence, Flygon, Hippowdon, Swampert, and Skarmory, but it cannot defeat any of the other nemeses of the prior sets. As such, you should employ similar partners as for the previous sets. However, paralysis and sandstorm support are a necessity for this set because it remains abysmally slow and it needs to remain on the field in order to sweep. Using Tyranitar is a given, as Hippowdon doesn't have enough of an offensive presence. A good option for paralysis support is Celebi, who can also counter Gyarados. Jirachi is another good option for this role, as the Wish support can help Rhyperior set up. However, this will further your weakness to Earthquake. Scizor is useful here for the purpose of dispatching Celebi, who ordinarily gives this set a fair bit of trouble, but some Celebis employ Hidden Power Fire to deal with this threat.</p>
[SET]
name: Su(b)perior
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Swords Dance / Megahorn
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Leftovers
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Adamant
evs: 132 HP / 192 Atk / 16 SpD / 168 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Rhyperior's ability to conjure 101 HP Substitutes, the ability Solid Rock cutting super effective moves to x1.5 damage instead of x2, and the x1.5 boost to his Special Defense thanks to the presence of sandstorm make this Rhyperior a potent threat when played correctly. Substitute is the key move on this set. With the given EVs, Blissey is not able to break Rhyperior's 101 Substitutes with Seismic Toss. Cresselia also suffers this same scenario, provided she didn't get a Special Attack boost from Charge Beam or has Psychic in her move pool to obtain an Special. After the Substitute is set up, Rhyperior can act accordingly by either boosting its 400 Attack stat to an impressive 800 with Swords Dance or simply using its powerful STABs to attack.</p>
<p>The Speed EVs outpace Swampert, Porygon2, and Machamp provided they don't invest heavily in Speed. Don't worry about being walled by Bronzong because Gyro Ball is doing pitiful damage and after a couple of Swords Dances even Bronzong won't enjoy a boosted Stone Edge. If Celebi and other bulky Psychic-types become a problem, Megahorn fits nicely over Swords Dance.</p>
<p>Sand Stream support is an absolute requirement for this set as well, as Rhyperior needs it to turn 2HKOs from Heatran's Earth Power and Zapdos' Hidden Power Ice into 3HKOs and also to stop Blissey and Cresselia from breaking the Substitute with a super effective attack. But due to the more defensive approach of this set, Hippowdon is a good option for providing it, as well as Tyranitar. If you are using Megahorn, you don't need to worry about Celebi. If you are using Swords Dance, Swampert is not a concern, as it is outsped and OHKOed by Earthquake after a Swords Dance.</p>
<p>Choose your partners accordingly, noting that it is not optimal to choose offensive options such as Gengar if you decide to use Hippowdon for weather support. This is because Gengar is a highly offensive choice, and it works better when your team can apply offensive pressure to the opponent. Tyranitar excels at this with its powerful physical and special attacking stats (as well as its ability to lure in Scizor). Hippowdon applies little offensive pressure with its comparatively weaker Attack, nonexistent Special Attack, and shallow movepool.</p>
<p>Paralysis is a bonus for this set, and Celebi and Jirachi work well at spreading it around. You will need Swords Dance to have a chance at beating opposing Skarmory and Hippowdon. If you don't use it, then you will need to employ sweepers capable of breaking through a common stall team, such as Lucario and Tyranitar. Salamence is another option, but it despises Sand Stream.</p>
[SET]
name: Supporting Tank
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Megahorn / Avalanche
move 4: Stealth Rock / Roar
item: Leftovers
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Impish
evs: 244 HP / 184 Def / 80 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The idea is pretty simple—switch into physical attackers with Rhyperior's amazing defenses and strike back with 316 Attack and great STAB moves. Megahorn provides coverage against Grass-types and makes a big dent in Cresselia and Celebi, while Avalanche hits Gliscor hard and can also bring down a Dragon Dancing Salamence or Dragonite, if you don't want to rely on Stone Edge's shaky accuracy. Stealth Rock is always useful due to its ability to shave off a portion of any opponent's HP. Roar helps phaze Dragon Dancing Salamence and other possible threats.</p>
<p>With 244 HP and 80 SpD EVs in a sandstorm, Timid Heatran's Earth Power will never 2HKO Rhyperior. With an HP stat of 432, Rhyperior also receives an extra point of Leftovers recovery. The remaining EVs are placed into Defense.</p>
<p>This set does little to bulky special attackers such as Suicune and Vaporeon, who directly threaten it. A Kingdra laughs at most attacks that these Pokemon possess, and can set up Dragon Dances on them. A Salamence or Gyarados can do the same, but they can be struck down by Ice Beam or Hidden Power Electric, respectively. Other than that, Tyranitar is an excellent partner to this set to help deal with Latias and Celebi.</p>
<p>Without the power of a Choice Band or a Life Orb boosting your Attack, you deal little damage to Bronzong, who laughs at your attacks. A Rotom forme can deal with Bronzong and Gyarados. Alternatively, Heatran and Infernape can defeat Bronzong, though you are increasing your weakness to Ground-type attacks by using them in conjunction with Rhyperior. Finally, Breloom is a problem for this set, although a Gyarados or a bulky Salamence goes a long way towards dealing with it.</p>
[SET]
name: Sleep Talk Support
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Rest
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Leftovers
ability: Solid Rock
nature: Impish
evs: 244 HP / 184 Def / 80 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set is similar to the above set, but Rhyperior now has recovery in the form of Rest and Sleep Talk. Rest allows Rhyperior to snooze away any damage it has taken during the course of the battle while removing any hindering status effects. Sleep Talk allows Rhyperior to continue attacking even while asleep. However, Rhyperior is not the most effective absorber of sleep, due to the opponents who commonly use the status, such as Gengar, Breloom, and Roserade. The specifications of the EVs are mentioned in the above set's comments.</p>
<p>Generally, this set should be paired with the partners of the above set. However, you will need a way to set up Stealth Rock, as this set sacrifices that ability in exchange for recovery. Swampert is not recommended, as having 2 Pokemon 4x weak to Grass-type attacks is inadvisable. Metagross, Jirachi, and Bronzong are superior candidates for that task. This is a set that you employ to defeat specific threats such as Heatran and physically based Salamence, not a set that you build a team around.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Stealth Rock is a necessity for Rhyperior to give it crucial 2HKOs and OHKOs on many threats. Sandstorm is also necessary to avoid 2HKOs and OHKOs from Heatran, Suicune, Celebi, and Vaporeon, among others. Paralysis support is almost a requirement for the Swords Dancer and Su(b)perior sets, but the other sets don't need it as much, as they either boost their speed (Rock Polish), are hit-and-run attackers (Choice Band), or are defensively oriented (Supporting Tank and Sleep Talk Support). Toxic Spikes is an option on Su(b)perior if you have no other way of defeating Hippowdon, but it is only useful for Hippowdon, and it may interfere with paralysis, which is the desired status condition. Spikes are generally better. If 3 layers of Spikes and Stealth Rock are up, a Su(b)perior has a good chance to OHKO a 252 HP / 252 Def, Bold Suicune with a +2 Earthquake (58.91% - 69.80%), and it can survive a Surf given that there is a sandstorm. Spikes also help when dealing with Swampert and Celebi when you lack the power afforded by a Life Orb.</p>
<p>Rhyperior is a formidable offensive force, possessing coveted STABs on Stone Edge and Earthquake. Therefore, offensive sets, using Stone Edge and Aqua Tail, will need little help to break through a stall team. What are of greater concern are Pokemon that can use their resistances and immunities to enter on Rhyperior's attacks and threaten it. These include Breloom, Flygon, Bronzong, Gyarados, Salamence, Latias, and Celebi. Tyranitar can defeat Latias and Celebi, and it sets up the sandstorm that Rhyperior enjoys. Gyarados deals with Bronzong, Breloom, and Flygon fairly easily, and pairs well with Rhyperior in terms of typing. A Choice Scarfed Gengar can deal with Gyarados and Salamence. Alternatively, one can use a Rotom forme for Gyarados and Bronzong and employ a Scizor to deal with Salamence.</p>
<p>Defensively speaking, to call Rhyperior's typing garbage would be an insult to debris. Rock / Ground gives few useful resistances, and many weaknesses on the special side. Rhyperior finds it difficult to abuse its high physical Defense as well, being weak to Fighting, Ground, and Steel-type attacks. Gyarados can take the Fighting, Ground-, Steel-, and Water-type attacks that threaten Rhyperior, and Rhyperior can take the Rock and Electric-type attacks that are the bane of Gyarados. Gengar and Rotom-A can take Fighting and Ground-type attacks that are aimed at Rhyperior. Almost no other Pokemon pairs well enough with Rhyperior in terms of typing to be worth a mention, but Tyranitar, with its high Special Defense, can take the Ice-type attacks that give Rhyperior trouble.</p>
<p>Overall, Rhyperior tends to have the most trouble with Scizor, Gyarados, Breloom, Flygon, Latias, and Hippowdon. A substantial problem is that Rhyperior can do little to check many of the teammates of these Pokemon, so you will have to choose your team carefully when using Rhyperior. Scizor tends to be partnered most frequently by Salamence, Heatran, and Latias. Most Rhyperior sets can deal with the former two, so you will only need to employ a Latias check. Tyranitar works great in this capacity, and he also sets up a sandstorm that you can abuse. Gyarados tends to be seen alongside Scizor, Metagross and Salamence. Rotom-A can check Scizor and Metagross, along with providing insurance against a Dragon Danced Gyarados. Breloom tends to be partnered by Scizor, Heatran, and Gyarados, so Rotom-A is recommended here as well. Flygon is often used with the same partners as Breloom, so Rotom-A works well here too. Latias is often partnered by Scizor, Heatran, and Metagross, and Rotom-A is an excellent counter to Metagross and Scizor, while Tyranitar deals with Latias. Hippowdon, on the other hand, breaks the mold, as it is a stall-oriented Pokemon. Blissey, Skarmory, and Forretress are commonly seen alongside it. Fortunately, most Rhyperior sets have no problem dealing with such Pokemon due to the base 140 Attack.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Rock Blast can be used to break Substitutes and destroys any Ninjask that dare to try and set up on Rhyperior. Rock Slide can be used over Stone Edge if the low PP and accuracy concern you, although the flinch rate is of no real consequence on anything but the Rock Polish set. Focus Punch isn't generally much use due to a STAB Earthquake or Stone Edge having the same power and Fire Punch being just as powerful against Bronzong. Toxic works decently on the more defensive sets if bulky Water-types such as Vaporeon prove to be a large problem. Counter can be used to launch back things such as Flygon's Earthquake and unboosted Gyarados' Waterfall. Endeavor can work on the Rock Polish set if you are low on health. The only thing to say about Rhyperior's signature attack, Rock Wrecker, is that is shouldn't be used.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Despite the apparently obvious base stat bias towards Rhyperior's Defense, Sand Stream and some investment into Special Defense can make Rhyperior a formidable tank if you choose to take that route. With 244 HP / 184 Def / 80 SpD, Rhyperior is never 2HKOed by Timid Heatran Earth Power, meaning Rhyperior can switch in and OHKO with Earthquake. A Rhyperior with some EVs invested in SpD in a sandstorm can even handle potent special-based threats like Togekiss, Yanmega, and Gengar.</p>
<p>Rhyperior's great Defense lets it serve as a physical tank very well, and its EV spread should reflect this. Its monstrous 115 base HP and 130 base Defense combined with its damage reducing trait, Solid Rock, give Rhyperior extremely uncommon bulk which tends to be underrated. Even though it sports weaknesses to both Close Combat and Earthquake, physically defensive Rhyperior can usually take these assaults and live long enough to get that crucial KO. 244 HP EVs are recommended because they allow Rhyperior to reach a number that yields an extra point of Leftovers recovery. Sandstorm boosts Rhyperior's lackluster Special Defense to decent levels, so EVs can always be pumped into Special Defense to take advantage of this fact. With sandstorm support and a spread of 252 HP / 12 Atk / 16 Def / 230 SpD and an Adamant nature, Rhyperior attains incredible defenses of 434 HP / 300 Def / 304 SpD, with an amazing 350 Atk stat to back it up. With this spread, Rhyperior is even capable of taking Starmie Surfs.</p>
<p>The Choice Band set utilizes maximum Attack in order to achieve the highest damage potential. Max Speed with an Adamant nature allows Rhyperior to outspeed Skarmory. After maxing Attack, the remaining 4 EVs are placed into Rhyperior's lower defensive stat, Special Defense. A bulkier spread, as seen in the Substitute / Swords Dance set, can be utilized in order to give Rhyperior some bulk while taking advantage of sandstorm. The 128 Speed EVs allow Rhyperior to outspeed Blissey and Machamp that do not invest EVs in Speed.</p>
<p>Maximum Attack and Speed, along with a Jolly nature, are used on the Rock Polish set in order to outspeed the largest possible number of enemies after a single Rock Polish while still retaining the ability to hit hard. The remaining 4 EVs are placed into Special Defense in order to minimize the effects of Hail and Stealth Rock. The Swords Dance set uses the same principle, but with an Adamant nature to make the most out of Rhyperior's gigantic Attack stat. Adamant can be used, but Rhyperior will only reach a stat of 358 after a single Rock Polish.</p>
<p>The EVs of the Subsitute + Swords Dance set focus on the ability of Rhyperior's Substitute to take a minimum Special Attack Blissey's Ice Beam in sandstorm without breaking. The Speed EVs allow Rhyperior to outspeed said Blissey, as well as Swampert.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Rhyperior can use max SpD and a Careful nature to more effectively take special hits in the sand. This also allows Rhyperior to survive unboosted Starmie's Surf and unboosted Celebi's Grass Knot.
Rhyperior's biggest problem is the competition it faces for a team slot. Although it possesses greater defensive stats than any of its fellow Ground-types, its lack of instant recovery is a let down, something Gliscor and Hippowdon both have access to. Swampert's offensive and defensive stats seem poor compared to Rhyperior, but the mudfish has superior defensive typing and can use special attacks effectively.</p>
<p>When considering Rhyperior for a slot as an offensive Pokémon, its low Speed means it requires support to effectively use Swords Dance to sweep with. Metagross provides stiff competition for the Rock Polish variants because it is able to reach much higher speeds and employ Explosion if necessary to get a team member in for free.</p>
<p>However, this does not take away from the fact that Rhyperior is a very powerful Pokémon. 434 HP and 394 Defense are very hard to break when paired with Solid Rock and the potential for a free Special Defense buff from a sandstorm. Rhyperior is not to be underestimated and is a good choice on most teams if you can play to its strengths.</p>
<p>In short, using Rhyperior is akin to making a pact with the devil: you gain incredible amounts of physical power. This can let you 2HKO anything in the metagame with a Choice Band, and the potential to boost your offensive prowess further with Swords Dance or Rock Polish is tempting. However, you should be ready to pay the price in accruing a painful weakness to the ever-so-common Scizor, Gyarados, and Latias. Rhyperior is not the kind of pokemon you can simply throw on a team and expect to succeed. It needs a good deal of support to truly shine.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Barring boosted Megahorns and Focus Punches, Bronzong can shake off pretty much anything Rhyperior can throw its way and hit back with Grass Knot. Skarmory can't hurt Rhyperior, but can stall Rhyperior out—especially the Choice Band set—provided it is faster by wasting Stone Edge's PP with Roost and simply Whirlwinding Rhyperior away.</p>
<p>Swampert handles Rhyperior decently and can bring him down with STAB Water attacks. Surf or Hydro Pump are more effective than Waterfall because they hit the weaker of Rhyperior's defensive stats. Suicune also fares well if it can avoid a critical hit from Stone Edge.</p>
<p>Hippowdon can wear Rhyperior down by alternating between Earthquake and Slack Off. Beware of Choice Banded or Swords Danced Avalanches or Aqua Tails though.</p>
<p>If you can get them in on either of Rhyperior's STAB moves, Breloom and Torterra handle Rhyperior well. Both can fire off Seed Bomb, while the latter can also use the more powerful Wood Hammer. Flygon can also work somewhat, although like the previously mentioned Grass-types, be sure to avoid Ice attacks and repeated hits from Megahorn. Defensive Celebi also works well as a counter; however, it must avoid a predicted Megahorn. STAB Grass Knot, with 120 base power due to Rhyperior's girth, will OHKO the rocky beast as long as Rhyperior does not invest heavily in Special Defense and a sandstorm is not raging.</p>
